scholarly journals A Computational Study on Mixing of Two-Phase Flow in Microchannels

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farshid Bondar ◽  
Francine Battaglia
Keyword(s):  
Computational Study ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Mixing Index ◽  
Wave Type ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Chaotic Flows ◽  
Two Fluids ◽  
Passive Mixing ◽  
Better Than

The passive mixing of water and alcohol, as two fluids with different densities, is carried out computationally in three-dimensional microchannels. Four designs of microchannels are considered to investigate the efficiency of mixing for Reynolds numbers ranging between 6 and 96. In a straight-type microchannel, mixing is very poor. In a square-wave-type microchannel, mixing is marginally better than the straight one. Mixing in the serpentine-type and twisted-type microchannels develops considerable better than the first two microchannels, especially at higher Reynolds numbers. However, in the twisted microchannel, the mixing index is substantially larger compared to the serpentine microchannel for the Reynolds number of 35. The higher mixing index implies the occurrence of spatially chaotic flows with a higher degree of chaos compared to the case of the serpentine microchannel. The results are compared quantitatively and qualitatively in Eulerian and Lagrangian frameworks and a correlation between Lagrangian chaos and Eulerian chaos is concluded.

A Planar Labyrinth Micromixer

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy T. Cogswell ◽  
Peng Li ◽  
Mohammad Faghri
Keyword(s):  
Soft Lithography ◽  
Lab On A Chip ◽  
Fluorescein Isothiocyanate ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Mixing Efficiency ◽  
Mixing Length ◽  
Two Fluids ◽  
Curved Channels ◽  
Passive Mixing ◽  
Important Challenge

Rapid mixing of two fluids in microchannels has posed an important challenge to the development of many integrated lab-on-a-chip systems. In this paper, we present a planar labyrinth micromixer (PLM) to achieve rapid and passive mixing by taking advantage of a synergistic combination of the Dean vortices in curved channels, a series of perturbation to the fluids from the sharp turns, and an expansion and contraction of the flow field via a circular chamber. The PLM is constructed in a single soft lithography step and the labyrinth has a footprint of 7.32 mm × 7.32 mm. Experiments using fluorescein isothiocyanate solutions and deionized water demonstrate that the design achieves fast and uniform mixing within 9.8 s to 32 ms for Reynolds numbers between 2.5 and 30. Compared to the mixing in the prevalent serpentine design, our design results in 38% and 79% improvements on the mixing efficiency at Re = 5 and Re = 30 respectively. An inverse relationship between mixing length and mass transfer Pe´clet number (Pe) is observed, which is superior to the logarithmic dependence of mixing length on Pe in chaotic mixers. Having a simple planar structure, the PLM can be easily integrated into lab-on-a-chip devices where passive mixing is needed.

Computational Study of Edge Cooling for Open-Cathode Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Stacks

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Agus P. Sasmito ◽  
Tariq Shamim ◽  
Erik Birgersson ◽  
Arun S. Mujumdar
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Thermal Management ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
The Impact

In open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) stacks, a significant temperature rise can exist due to insufficient cooling, especially at higher current densities. To improve stack thermal management while reducing the cost of cooling, we propose a forced air-convection open-cathode fuel cell stack with edge cooling (fins). The impact of the edge cooling is studied via a mathematical model of the three-dimensional two-phase flow and the associated conservation equations of mass, momentum, species, energy, and charge. The model includes the stack, ambient, fan, and fins used for cooling. The model results predict better thermal management and stack performance for the proposed design as compared to the conventional open-cathode stack design, which shows potential for practical applications. Several key design parameters—fin material and fin geometry—are also investigated with regard to the stack performance and thermal management.

The decay of a swirling perturbation of pipe Poiseuille flow

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-394
Author(s):  
S. A. SHEPHERD
Keyword(s):  
Poiseuille Flow ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Circulatory System ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Decay Rates ◽  
Secondary Flows ◽  
Polynomial Eigenvalue Problem ◽  
Vertebrobasilar Junction ◽  
The Stability

Secondary flows consisting of two pairs of vortices arise when two fluid streams meet at a confluence, such as in the airways of the human lung during expiration or at the vertebrobasilar junction in the circulatory system, where the left and right vertebral arteries converge. In this paper the decay of these secondary flows is studied by considering a four-vortex perturbation from Poiseuille flow in a straight, three-dimensional pipe. A polynomial eigenvalue problem is formulated and the exact solution for the zero Reynolds numberRis derived analytically. This solution is then extended by perturbation analysis to produce an approximation to the eigenvalues forR≪ 1. The problem is also solved numerically for 0 ≤R≤ 2,000 by a spectral method, and the stability of the computed eigenvalues is analysed using pseudospectra. For all Reynolds numbers, the decay rate of the swirling perturbation is found to be governed by complex eigenvalues, with the secondary flows decaying more slowly asRincreases. A comparison with results from an existing computational study of merging flows shows that the two models give rise to similar secondary flow decay rates.

Amplification of three-dimensional perturbations during parallel vortex–cylinder interaction

2007 ◽  
Vol 573 ◽  
pp. 457-478
Author(s):  
X. LIU ◽  
J. S. MARSHALL
Keyword(s):  
Computational Study ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Front Surface ◽  
Inviscid Flow ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Three Dimensional Flow ◽  
Dimensional Flow ◽  
Flow Features ◽  
Volume Method ◽  
Proper Orthogonal

A computational study has been performed to examine the amplification of three-dimensional flow features as a vortex with small-amplitude helical perturbations impinges on a circular cylinder whose axis is parallel to the nominal vortex axis. For sufficiently weak vortices with sufficiently small core radius in an inviscid flow, three-dimensional perturbations on the vortex core are indefinitely amplified as the vortex wraps around the cylinder front surface. The paper focuses on the effect of viscosity in regulating amplification of three-dimensional disturbances and on assessing the ability of two-dimensional computations to accurately model parallel vortex–cylinder interaction problems. The computations are performed using a multi-block structured finite-volume method for an incompressible flow, with periodic boundary conditions along the cylinder axis. Growth of three-dimensional flow features is examined using a proper-orthogonal decomposition of the Fourier-transformed vorticity field in the azimuthal and axial directions. The interaction is examined for different axial wavelengths and amplitudes of the initial helical vortex waves and for three different Reynolds numbers.

Computational Study of Edge Cooling for Open-Cathode Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Stacks

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agus Pulung Sasmito ◽  
Tariq Shamim ◽  
Erik Birgersson ◽  
Arun Sadashiv Mujumdar
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte ◽  
Thermal Management ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Forced Air ◽  
The Impact

In open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) stacks, a significant temperature rise can exist due to insufficient cooling, especially at higher current densities. To improve stack thermal management whilst reducing the cost for cooling, we propose a forced air-convection open-cathode fuel cell stack with edge cooling (fins). The impact of the edge cooling is studied via mathematical model of the three-dimensional two-phase flow and associated conservation equations of mass, momentum, species, energy and charge. The model includes stack, ambient, fan and fins used for cooling. The model results predict better thermal management and stack performance for the proposed design as compared to the conventional open-cathode stack design, which shows potential for practical application. Several key design parameters — fin material and fin geometry — are also investigated with regards to the stack performance and thermal management.

Computational fluid dynamics and laminar heat transfer of water/Cu nanofluid in ribbed microchannel with a two-phase approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 1563-1589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Navid Ahmadi Cheloii ◽  
Omid Ali Akbari ◽  
Davood Toghraie
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Dimensional Space ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Rectangular Microchannel ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Evaluation Criterion ◽  
Phase Mixture ◽  
Three Dimensional Space

Purpose This study aims to numerically investigate the heat transfer and laminar forced and two-phase flow of Water/Cu nanofluid in a rectangular microchannel with oblique ribs with angle of attacks equal to 0-45°. This simulation was conducted in the range of Reynolds numbers of 5-120 in volume fractions of 0, 2 and 4 per cent of solid nanoparticles in three-dimensional space. Design/methodology/approach This study investigates the effect of the changes of angle of attack of rectangular rib on heat transfer and hydrodynamics of two-phase flow. This study was done in three-dimensional space and simulation was done with finite volume method. SIMPLEC algorithm and second-order discretization of equations were used to increase the accuracy of results. The usage of nanofluid, application of rips with different angles of attacks and using the two-phase mixture method is the distinction of this paper compared with other studies. Findings The results of this research revealed that the changing angle of attack of ribs is an effective factor in heat transfer enhancement. On the other hand, the existence of rib on the internal surfaces of a microchannel increases friction coefficient. By increasing the volume fraction of nanoparticles, due to the augmentation of fluid density and viscosity, the pressure drop increases significantly. For all of the angle of attacks studied in this paper, the maximum rate of performance evaluation criterion has been obtained in Reynolds number of 30 and the minimum amount of performance evaluation criterion was been obtained in Reynolds numbers of 5 and 120. Originality/value Many studies have been done in the field of heat transfer in ribbed microchannel. In this paper, the laminar flow in the ribbed microchannel Water/Cu nanofluid in a rectangular microchannel by using two-phase mixture method is numerically investigated with different volume fractions (0-4 per cent), Reynolds numbers (5-120) and angle of attacks of rectangular rib in the indented microchannel (0-45°).

Optimal parametric mixing analysis of active and passive micromixers using Taguchi method

2019 ◽  
Vol 233 (6) ◽  
pp. 1292-1303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imran Shah ◽  
Han Su Jeon ◽  
Muhsin Ali ◽  
Doh Hoi Yang ◽  
Kyung-Hyun Choi
Keyword(s):  
Taguchi Method ◽  
Passive Mixer ◽  
External Energy ◽  
Mixing Index ◽  
Two Fluids ◽  
Active Mixer ◽  
Passive Mixing ◽  
Mixing Ability ◽  
Active Mixing ◽  
Micro Mixer

Mixing of fluids flowing through channels and chambers is a crucial step in chemical and biochemical reactions inside microfluidic devices due to laminar flow because of small size channel and chamber dimensions. Mixing can be enhanced by passive or active mechanism which makes convection dominant over diffusion. To address this challenge, the study proposes three novel mixing designs: passive mixer, active mixer and a combination of active and passive mixing. These designs mixing performance has been studied by numerical simulation using COMSOL 5.3. According to the preliminary results of the study, pure active micromixer design has superior mixing ability. The mixing ability was proved by concentration line plots, concentration contours and videos. In order to further optimize the mixing index of the pure active micromixer, Taguchi method is applied against various input parametric values for micromixer such as frequency, voltage and velocity. The velocity is required for two fluids to flow, while frequency and voltages are for providing an external energy for active mixing. A total of nine cases were analyzed; the two best cases out of nine were selected for comparing mixing index line plots. The result of the study conclude that pure active micro-mixer at an optimal set of parameters, frequency of 10 Hz, velocity of 0.05 mm s–1 and voltage of 0.5 V achieved 99.6% mixing index at t = 0.2 s.

Influence of Tip Shape on Structure of Wing-Tip Vortex at Low Reynolds Numbers

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Djavad Kamari ◽  
Mehran Tadjfar
Keyword(s):  
Computational Study ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Tip Vortex ◽  
Low Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Naca0012 Airfoil ◽  
Wingtip Vortex ◽  
Wing Tip Vortex ◽  
Low Reynolds ◽  
Wing Tip

An important phenomenon in three-dimensional flow over a wing is the existence of wingtip vortex. It has significant effects on the aerodynamics of flying vehicles. In this computational study, we investigate the effects of geometry of the wingtip on the structure of the wing-tip vortices. Here, we consider a rectangular half-wing with NACA0012 airfoil as cross section. The aerodynamic coefficients and the flow-field variables are computed at low Reynolds numbers below 50,000. As the edge-shape parameter is increased the wing tip vortex is weakened. This influence is higher at higher values of Reynolds number. But, the increase of angle of attack does not change the shape or rate of this increase.

Flow Pulsation and Geometry Effects on Mixing of Two Miscible Fluids in Microchannels

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Houssein Ammar ◽  
Ahmed Ould el Moctar ◽  
Bertrand Garnier ◽  
Hassan Peerhossaini
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Residence Time ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Mixing Efficiency ◽  
Mixing Enhancement ◽  
Flow Pulsation ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Mixing Index ◽  
Two Fluids ◽  
Passive Mixing

Many microfluidic applications involve chemical reactions. Most often, the flow is predominantly laminar, and without active or passive mixing enhancement the reaction time can be extremely long compared to the residence time. In this work we demonstrate the merits of the combination of flow pulsation and geometrical characteristics in enhancing mixing efficiency in microchannels. Mixing was studied by introducing a mixing index based on the gray level observed in a heterogeneous flow of pure water and water colored by rhodamine B. The effects of the injection geometry at the microchannel inlet and the use of pulsed flows with average Reynolds numbers between 0.8 and 2 were studied experimentally and numerically. It appeared that the mixing index increases with the nondimensional residence time (τ), which is inversely proportional to the Reynolds number. In addition, we show that the mixing efficiency depends strongly on the geometry of the intersection between the two fluids. Better mixing was achieved with sharp corners (arrowhead and T intersections) in all cases investigated. In pulsed flow, the mixing efficiency is shown to depend strongly on the ratio (β) between the peak amplitude and the mean flow rate. Optimal conditions for mixing in the microchannels are summarized as a function of Reynolds number Re, the ratio β, and the geometries.

scholarly journals A computational study of the aerodynamic performance of a dragonfly forewing in gliding flight

2018 ◽  
Vol 151 ◽  
pp. 03001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huixiang Liu ◽  
Guoyi He ◽  
Chengyu Ma ◽  
Qi Wang ◽  
Yun Luo
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Large Angle ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Three Dimensional Model ◽  
Dragonfly Wing ◽  
Gliding Flight ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Better Than

Gliding flight is a common mode of flight for dragonfly, the objective of the current research is to use numerical simulations to explore whether the corrugations have positive effect on aerodynamic performance of the dragonfly wings in gliding flight. In order to compare aerodynamic performance of the dragonfly wing and flat plate, a three-dimensional model of the dragonfly forewing and a three-dimensional flat plate with the same shape of the dragonfly forewing are established. The flow fields around three-dimensional dragonfly forewing and flat plate are simulated for Re=10000 and angles of attack changing from 0° to 25°(with an interval of 5°), numerical simulation indicate that aerodynamic performance of the dragonfly wing is slightly better than the flat plate over the entire range of parameters tested, especially the effect of the corrugateions on the flow is more evident at large angle of attack.

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